Getting to San Francisco From the Airport is Easy with BART

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From SFO

The fare to downtown San Francisco is only $9.65 ($19.30 round trip). That's less than a shuttle van ($19), an average Uber/Lyft ride ($27), and $40 less than an average taxi ($50). Taking BART avoids road traffic and is only a half-hour ride from to San Francisco, with three to four trains departing SFO each hour.

The BART station at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is located in the International Terminal, a short walk from Terminals 1 and 3, or accessible via the free AirTrain's red line. To get to downtown San Francisco, board an Antioch-bound train to one of the four downtown San Francisco stations (Civic Center, Powell Street, Montgomery Street, Embarcadero). (Travelers at SFO-area hotels can reach the Antich-bound line at the nearby Millbrae, San Bruno, or South San Francisco stations.) From those downtown San Francisco stations, it's a short cab ride or walk to many hotels, attractions, dining, and more of what San Francisco offers.

Once at a San Francisco station, you can also easily transfer to Dublin/Pleasanton, Richmond, or Warm Springs/South Fremont trains to access the regions of the East Bay.

From OAK

BART trains connect travelers from Oakland International Airport (OAK) to downtown San Francisco, downtown Oakland, and many East Bay destinations. The BART fare from OAK to downtown San Francisco is only $10.20 ($20.40 round trip). That's $30 less than a shuttle van ($40), $40 less than Uber/Lyft ($50) and $60 less than a taxi ($80). Trains from OAK operate every 5 minutes during peak hours, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. daily.

The Oakland Airport Station is a short walk from both terminals. To get to downtown San Francisco, take BART one stop from the Oakland Airport Station to the Coliseum Station and transfer to a San Francisco/Daly City train. To return to OAK from San Francisco, take a Fremont, Warm Springs/South Fremont or Dublin/Pleasanton-bound train to Coliseum.

Travelers headed to downtown Oakland from OAK should board a Richmond-bound train for the 12-minute trip to 12th Street/Oakland City Center Station downtown. From there, Oakland's Chinatown, Jack London Square, and Lake Merritt are within short walking distances.

General Information

Ticket vending machines are available at all stations. Children aged four and under can ride free; all others need a valid BART ticket to access the train platforms. You can also buy round trip ticket vouchers in advance. Plan your trip with BART's Quick Planner for up-to-the-minute schedules, and view a detailed map of the BART system here.

With 48 stations in its system, BART is the car-free way to see the many attractions of San Francisco and the surrounding areas. Click here for more information on what attractions and sights are Bart-able.